Scaffold clamp



Nov. 27, 19.45.

M. ARTIQUE SCAFFOLD CLAMP Filed July 23, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 27,1945. M. ARTIQUE 2,389,751

SCAFFOLD CLAMP Filed July 23, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 27, 1945. M.ARTIQUE 2,389,751

l scAFFoLD CLAMP l Filed July 25, 1943 s sheets-sheet s nu l IVI ariu'sAT1: LIE

Patented Nov. 27, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCAFFOLD CLAMP MariusArtique, Geneva, Switzerland Application July 23, 1943, Serial N o.495,882 In Switzerland August 8, 1942 6 Claims.

This invention relates to dismountable or semidismountable constructionssuch as scaifoldings, towers, sheds, huts, foot bridges, galleries,platforms, stagings, travelling cranes, iron trestles or tube frames,centerings for concrete arches or vaults or similar buildings and hasmore particular reference to constructions of this category made up ofsets of solid or tubular bars or like elements of cylindrical orprismatical cross section assembled or lashed together in a temporaryfashion so as to lend themselves to easy dismantling whenever required.

An object of this invention is to provide a new r improved device forreadily assembling, securely and yet removably, the bars or elements ofwhich temporary constructions of the aforesaid category are made up.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembling device asaforesaid comprising, in combination with a central carrier part forminga double cradle, clamps for the bars and tightening bolts for saidclamps, the arrangement being such that during manipulation of thedevice neither damage of. the clamps nor loss of the bolts can beencountered.

A further object of .the invention is to provide an assembling device asaforesaid whose parts are so shaped and co-related as to permit mountingand dismantling thereof to be performed without requiring mechanicaloperations, the clamps being moreover guided towards and 01T tighteningposition without any risk of becoming warped or distorted.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an assemblingdevice as aforesaid capable of being manufactured cheaply from sheetiron blanks foldable to proper carrier and clamp formations adapted tocooperate so as to accommodate therebetween the bars or like elements ofthe construction which require to be clamped together.

With these and such other objects in view as will incidentally appearhereafter, the invention comprises the novel construction andcombination of parts that will be now described in detail with referenceto the accompanying diagrammatic drawings exemplifying the same in asuitable embodiment and forming a part of the present disclosure.

In the drawings: v

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the device illustrating how it can beused for assembling together two tubular bars arranged at right angles,the left hand side of this figure showing one of the upper clamps inclosed down position while its right hand side shows the companionupperclamp in opened up position as if to permit insertion of the upper bar.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device, the left hand side of thisfigure corresponding to the left hand side of Fig. 1 while in its righthand side said companion upper clamp is assumed to be omitted, thelocation of the upper bar being shown in chain lines.

Figure 3 is a plan View showing hoW the central carrier part of thedevice can bemade by curling pairwise the opposite ends of the four legsof a cross-shaped blank cut from sheet iron, said curling being effectedin opposite directions to provide a double cradle structure.

Figure 4 is partly an elevational View (left) and partly a transversesectional view (right) of the central carrier or double cradle partshown in Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view showing how each upper clampl can be made from asheet iron blank, the parts drawn i'n chain lines on each side being theparts which are folded down to form depending lugs dening the hingesockets sidewise.

Figure 6 is partly (left) an elevational view and partly (right) asectional view on the line VI of Fig. 5 of one of the upper clamps.

Figure 'l is an inverted plan view of the upper clamp shown in Fig. 6. fFigure 8 is an end view of the upper clamp shown in Fig. 5.

Figure 9 is an elevational view of the hinge or trunnion and associatedbolt, said hingev being accommodated in each socket of the carrier part.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of Fig. 9.

Figure l1 is an end view of Fig. 9.

Like reference characters designate like parts throughout the severalviews.

In the embodiment shown, the device comprises a central carrier part Aproviding 'upper and lower recesses or cradles for the respectivetubular bars 2, l which require to be temporarily and yet securelyassembled, for example to constitute a scaolding, said bars beingarranged in superimposed relation and at right angles to each other asshown in Figs. 1 and 2. The upper cradle cooperates with a pair ofcompanion clamps 3, 3 substantially of arch shape capable of beingtemporarily held down by bolts 4, 4 engaged through their slotted ends,said bolts being screwed down through sleeve-shaped hinges or trunnions5, 5 pivotally housed in hinge sockets 6, 6 in side bulges formed bycurled portions of the carrier part A. Each clamp 3 can be rocked up asshown on the righthand side of Fig. 1 to permit insertion of the bar 2,whereafter the clamp 3 can be rocked down to resume its holding positionas shown on the left hand side of Fig. 1. Likewise the lower cradlecooperates with clamps 3 fitted with bolts 4.

It will be understood that when in rocked off position, each clampremains attached to the carrier part A of the device and is merelypermitted to swing about an axis extending parallel to the bar or likeelement which requires to be clamped thereby. The bolts 4 cannot becomelost as they remain set through the ends of the clamps. No machiningoperation is required for erecting the device or dismounting the sameinto its constituents.

The method of producing the i-mproved assembling device asabove-described` will be easily understood from an inspection of Figs.34` to l1 inclusive.

The central carrier part A and the clamps 3, 3' are each made fromsingle blanks, preferably of sheet iron or steel.

As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the blank from which the carrier part Ais produced is cross shaped and its four legs a, b, c, d which areflared at their free ends and which originally occupy projectingpositions as shown in chain lines in Fig. 3 are afterwards curledinwardly to assume the operative positions a', b', C', d'. To thateffect, the legs a. b are curled upwardly of the major plane of theblank to provide a pair of upper arcuate bulges defining between them anintermediate concave recess or cradle for a bar 2, while the legs c, dare curled downwardly of said plane to provide a pair of lower arcuatebulges defining between them an intermediate concave recess or cradlefor a bar I. Said pairs of bulges extend at right angles to each otherand form internal sockets adapted to accommodate revoluble hinges aswill be described hereafter. Elongated holes a". b", c". d in thecarrier blank legs a, b,- c, d form slots in the bulges after said legshave been curled as above-stated to assume their operative positions.Said slots are adapted to receive bolts 4 or like retaining members alsoset through the clamps and engaged into the hinges.

The clamps 3 3' are also shaped from sheet metal blanks. The blank fromwhich the clamp 3 is made originally has the outline shown by the chainlines, whereafter the middle portion of the blank is bowed to arch shapeand the end portions e, f having slots e and f', f" are crimped down inhairpin fashion to form flaps projecting inwardlv of the clamp archspan, while the side portions g, h, i. k are folded down at right angleto their original coplanar positions to form projecting lugs definingthe hinge sockets sidewise and acting as side guides for properpositioning of the clamp.

Each bolt 4 has a reduced end 4 (Fig. 11) set into a sleeve hinge 5having a notch 5 (Fig. 10) and accommodated in one of the sockets 6.This arrangement prevents the bolts from being clogged up by rust totheir hinge sleeves.

In operation, the clamps 3, 3 are rst rocked off the carrier or doublecradle part A and the latter is then inserted between the bars I, 2extendine.r at right angles to each other, whereafter the clamps 3, 3'are rocked back to bar-inclosing positions. and the bolts 4 arerightened until the bars are securely held. A reverse manipulation iseffected to release the bars from the device.

Numerous minor constructional details might be changed without departingfrom the scope of the subjoined claims wherein the word retainerinvolves any bolt equivalent.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for assembling scaffold bars or like building elements,comprising a carrier having a pair of opposite'bar-receiving cradlesdisposed in superimposed and angular relation and dened between pairs offolded terminal portions of said carrier forming sockets, hinges in saidsockets, rockable clamps cooperating with the cradles in lid fashion,and removable retainers set through the sockets and clamps andengageable with the hinges.

2. A device for assembling scaffold bars or like building elements.comprising a carrier having a pair of opposite bar-receiving cradlessuperimposed at right angles to each other, said cradles being definedbetween pairs of folded terminal portions of said carrier formingsockets, hinges in said sockets, rockable clamps of arch shapecooperating with the cradles in lid fashion, and bolts set through holesin the ends of the clamps and in the sockets and engageable with thehinges.

3. A device for assembling scaiold bars or like building elements,comprising a carrier having a pair of opposite bar-receiving cradlessuperimposed at right angles to each other, said cradles being denedbetween pairs of folded terminal portions of the carrier and providingsockets, hinge members in said sockets, rockable slotted clampscooperating with the cradles in lid fashion, and bolts set through theslots in the clamps and sockets and engageable with the hinge members.

4. A device for assembling scaifold bars or like building elements,comprising a carrier having a pair of opposite bar-receiving cradlessuperimposed in right angular relation, said cradles being dened betweenpairs of arcuate slotted bulges forming sockets, notched hinge sleeveslrevolubly enclosed and confined Within said rockets, rockable slottedclamps cooperating with the cradles in lid fashion, and bolts setthrough the clamp and bulge slots and having reduced ends engageablewith the notches in the hinge sleeves.

5. A device for assembling scaifold bars or like building elements,comprising a carrier plate having a pair of opposite bar-receivingcradles superimposed in right angular relation, said cradles being denedbetween pairs or arcuate slotted bulges formed by terminally aredextensions of the carrier plate, said extensions being curled to providesocketed bulges, notched hinges snugly revoluble in the bulge sockets,rockable slotted clamps cooperating with the cradles in lid fashion, andbolts insertable through the clamp and bulge slots and having reducedends engageable with the hinge notches.

6. A device for assembling scaiold bars or like building elements,comprising a carrier plate having a pair of opposite bar-receivingcradles superimposed in right angular relation, said cradles beingdelineated between pairs of arcuate slotted bulges defining innersockets, notched hinge sleeves revoluble in said respective sockets,rockable slotted clamps cooperating with the cradles in lid fashion,each clamp comprising an arch portion terminating in inwardly crimpedflaps and two pairs of angularly protruding side lugs, and boltsinsertable through the coincident clamp and bulge slots and havingreduced ends engageable with the hinge notches.

MARIUS ARTIQUE.

